Tag: Dadi Janki

Do You Know the Truth about the Soul?

Message-de-Dadi-Janki

from Inside Out by Dadi Janki:

“Knowledge means light; ignorance means darkness.  If I don’t have knowledge about something, I can’t act appropriately-I am in the dark. When the sun rises, the darkness is dispelled automatically…When there is ignorance it is as if I am blind, with an intellect like a stone. If you are blind, it is difficult to do anything, even if there is light all around.

Knowledge in the spiritual context means to know the truth about the soul…The knowledge that comes from deep inside, from God, teaches me that although I am in this body, and through the body I have a connection with other people and the physical world, I am separate from all of that. I am a being of conscious energy, distinct from matter.  I must continue my connection with the material world, because that is how life expresses itself; but I’m not going to do things under the influence of all those outside factors any more.

Because I am separate, I can choose. I can be the master. This is wisdom…

The knowledge of the soul shows me the wisdom of … the harm that I did to myself in allowing my consciousness to be trapped by the material world, and the joy and power that I receive when I learn to connect to God again.

The ways of thinking… and even the values that… I acquired from the world outside deceived me a lot.  I was pushed this way and that, according to how the body wanted me to move, how others wanted me to move, and how the world… in general, expected me to move.  The darkness of body consciousness used to cover the truth that I am a soul. This kept me ignorant about my self and others, who are also souls.

Ignorance not only blinds me, but may make me excessively forceful in my character, so that I try to influence and control others. I don’t realize that I am doing wrong, nor that I am making others around me do wrong as well.

For someone who is in the dark in this way, money and position are everything, whereas those who have light inside know that if they have God with them, they also have their self-respect, which means they have everything.

The essence of the knowledge of the soul that purifies and renews is:

Don’t look at the past

or at others,

Look at God,

the true Mother and Father,

and then at yourself.

Be patient.

Remain peaceful.

With that true effort,

you’ll have God’s love

inside you.

Kindness is the Highest Form of Wisdom

When the Knower of Knowledge is your Companion, at every step He/She ‘s telling you how things really are. This truth then makes you perform pure, clean, elevated, noble actions. Those actions give power, which allow you to show truth to the world. …

The world desperately needs God’s love, light, and peace- God’s truth.

God is waiting for us to become so pure

that we can be true instruments

in sharing these qualities

with all souls.

power of words

Imagine a personality like this. Sensible, wise, cheerful, never doing anything just to show off to others. And never looking at the mistakes of others, either…Such a one will feel what have I got this invaluable knowledge for, if not to stay free?

Purity enables the soul

to be detached,

and detachment enables one

to remain

positive, loving,

and wise.

When I remain in the awareness that I am a spirit, the light and beauty of that spirituality spreads far and wide. When I connect to God’s supreme power, it is as if a powerful current flows to where it is most needed.

So, ask yourself:

  1. Do I stay in my spirituality? I am the spirit within, detached from the body. When I maintain this spiritual awareness, the body in which I am sitting will not pull me into performing limited or wrong actions.
  2. Am I able to remain a detached observer, no matter what the atmosphere or situations outside are like? For as I remain a detached and loving observer, not passing judgement or taking sides, I can stay uninfluenced, in my original truth, and the power of that will help others.
  3. Am I able to stay detached from my actions,knowing that in reality it was not me that did anything, but that I was an instrument for what needed to happen.  That way, I will also stay detached from my actions, so that they don’t take hold of me and drain me of energy.
  4. Am I able to focus upon the true source of energy and stay free to draw God’s love and wisdom inside me?  For when I do this, others seeing the power I have gained, will feel inspired to create a similar life for themselves.

sparking soul

8 Inspired Reasons to Turn Within

great space for meditation

 

  1. When I stop looking to the world outside for fulfillment, I can begin to draw upon the amazing inner resources of love, wisdom, and happiness that emerge when I attend to my inner world.
  2. When I realize the significance of this turning away from the outside to develop a taste for going within, I can truly understand and practice what it means to “consider myself to be a soul”.
  3. Since what I focus upon colors my consciousness,  I am inspired to conquer the many pulls of Maya upon my intellect, which means all the distractions that can come up  when I wish to contemplate the deeper, subtle levels of truth.
  4. To turn within I practice sitting quietly and withdrawing my thoughts from the outside world. This includes the pulls of the body, possessions, and people. Then I’m able to focus on my inner identity, the spiritual aspect of the self which is pure light, like a sparkling star.  This point of light, pure consciousness, is situated behind the eyes, and is I, the soul, the navigator of this brain and body.  In some spiritual traditions, this point of awareness is remembered as the third eye.
  5. Opening the third eye is like opening a window to another world. Even while situated here in the body, I am able to take my thoughts far beyond this physical universe, into a realm of peace and stillness. I understand this realm to be my original home, home of all souls, including the home of the Supreme Soul.  I think of that One as also being like a point or a star, dimensionless, but radiant with the power of truth, unlimited and eternal.

sparking soul6.  In Dadi Janki’s words, the 103 year old yogi who is the administrative head of the Brahma Kumaris, and who has been practicing Raja Yoga Meditation since she was 19 years old…”As my consciousness reaches this incorporeal awareness and stage, it then becomes possible to develop a relationship with God.  This takes me to a higher level of energy inside.

amazing rose

7. Every time I remember God, the relationship between us deepens.  It’s such a  beautiful discovery, that I can visit the Supreme Soul whenever I want, internally…when I leave on one side all my worldly relationships and connections, I experience all God’s qualities and powers.

8.   I recharge, filling with this energy of truth that is also my own truth…When I return to my responsibilities in the physical world after recharging in this way, I find I can easily and naturally keep a positive frame of mind.”                              (pp.41-42/Janki)

open your third eye and see

 

Honesty and Success: More on the Importance of Honesty

free bird in a golden skyIf you were to ask Dadi Janki , at age 103, wisdom keeper of our time, and present Head of the Brahma Kumari World Spiritual University, how did you acquire the most wisdom, she would give you a very clear answer!

You might ask was it from personal research, divine intuition, or from life experience?   She would most likely point upwards to indicate that the knowledge she shares comes from the Source, the Supreme Soul, the Knowledgefull One, also called the Ocean of Knowledge.

Dadi remembers her experience of deep love for the Supreme Soul at the tender age of two and recalls that  her search for Truth began at the tender age of eleven.

On the question of what is Success, she answers as follows, in her succinct and unique style.

 “Success is to reach such a constant level of positive thoughts that pure actions happen naturally. 

Dadi-Ja

    Pure actions are like good seeds which, when planted, produce healthy, sweet fruit…  Concern for the quality of my actions today ensures the success of my tomorrow.  Virtues are the mainstay in this because Success like this requires Hope.  And Hope in today’s world, requires Courage. It is a matter of working from the strength of your convictions which is a spiritual kind of Honesty.  Balance these qualities and your path will be easy…and your success will be assured.

     Courage alone does not bring Success.  If there’s only courage, there will be ego.  It’s courage plus honesty which brings God’s help and that is what guarantees success.

     God is getting it done through me.  I am simply an instrument in this task.  These are honest thoughts which elicit God’s help and protection.  Humility is the result of such honesty and courage.  A life of enthusiasm, courage, honesty, and humility is inspirational. It’s a way of helping others become successful too~”

Sharing Dadi Janki’s diamond-like wisdom is a true joy.  My wish for all souls is that we attain this kind of pure thinking which results in a life well spent.

Dadi’s jewels of wisdom come from the Highest on High and are truly worth millions.

May you gather and spread this kind of wealth, too, knowing that the more you spread this type of fortune, the wealthier you will become!

To your continued success!!!

 

Message-de-Dadi-Janki

7 Spiritual Questions to Turn Your Life Around!

Featured Image -- 6103What are your 7 big questions?  Have you made a list?  I have…here they are? Do you resonate? Would you add something?

1.  How do you know when you have recognized God as She/He really is?

2.  What does every soul long for?

3.  How can unshakeable peace be attained?

4.  How does being influenced by others hamper your personal journey and how can you protect your Self from this  influence?

5.  Do you know God as the Bestower of Happiness, the Remover of Sorrow, the Ocean of Love, and the Friend? Do you know yourself as the beloved child of the Supreme Divine Parent?

6.  Or has your life become such a hustle and bustle that there is no time left for you to develop this relationship?

7. What type of experiences do most people gravitate towards?

These are the deep questions which many people never consciously think to ask, yet on a subconscious level they may be alive and kicking.   You deserve a big congratulations for choosing to read this far and for your willingness to take a look at the possibility of  going beyond the hustle and bustle of life, beyond our deep societal programing and conditioning, and beyond the loss of our innocence at a young age, which has lead to the the  inevitable “rule of the ego” which has distracted  most of us from a quest such as this.

In order to answer these questions and turn one’s life around, it is a valuable practice to set aside the limiting perceptions and pre-conceptions of our own ego-dominated worlds, for longer and longer periods of time everyday.

Surrender the known in order to know the vast unknown and come into  your own, subtle, inner world.

One of the best ways to do this is through meditation.

Your ego and mine, have been doing their very best to keep us alive,  yet, at the same time it is our ego which  has also sadly separated us from the Truth about our Selves.  Our egos have masked our true Selves and the real questions of life which could reveal real answers.

While being held captive by our egos, we have become preoccupied with temporary, perishable, and limited pleasures, powers, and attainments.  The “true north” of our deepest longings, our truest contentment, and our lasting love and happiness has gone unnoticed and undiscovered.

Many souls look to the “after-life” for the type of fulfillment the answers to these questions can brings.

Without a doubt, I have been blessed and beset by difficulties and battles entrenched so deeply within myself that they wouldn’t budge, no matter what tools I used or how much service I thought I was doing.  Fortunately, very fortunately, these difficulties were also accompanied by an intense desire to be happy, loving, and kind.  The quandary of these two extremes created a subtle openness within,  far below the “ego’s watch”.

When I began to ask these valuable questions, I found some satisfying answers.   One of the answers came through the daily practice of Raja Yoga Meditation.   The other “godsend” has been the daily study of divine principles which has given me a deeper understanding of the soul’s battle between illusion and reality!

I’ve come to understand how important it is to pass blessings along to others, rather than compete and compare myself to others.   It is in the spirit of a blessing that I introduce you to one of our great present-day wisdom-keepers, who has blessed me in so many ways :  Dadi Janki, the 103-year-old head of the Brahma Kumariis World Spiritual University.

Dadi, as she is affectionately called, has been tested and found to have the most stable mind on the planet, at this time.  She has traveled all across the globe to share the truths and wisdom she has lived by.

One of her widely read books, Companion of God, is a simple guide to living life as a happy, fulfilled soul.  It is from this book that I share:

“As an actor on the stage of life, you need to detach yourself from the roles you are playing and get in touch with the part of you that is not an act.”

What Dadi is saying is to get in touch with you, the soul, the eternal you, the part of you that is not an act.

Meditation is your tool of discovery to discover the untapped treasures of the soul.

The part of us that is perishable and mostly running the show is kept unhappy by looking outside for true love, respect, and peace.   The present state of our world is one of  thirsting for deep relationship with the Divine, while fearing loss, annihilation, war, illness, and death.  Have you noticed that most people,today, seem to be sadly lacking in what truly makes one whole and sane.

This state of affairs is largely the result of allowing the Self to be influenced by thinking and believing that our true contentment could be found externally.

As Dadi Janki gently warns us:  “The world is a supermarket of sorrow. Don’t buy any! A good spiritual education teaches you how to be discerning in your shopping.”

How will having a spiritual education help make meaning out of your “movie”?  How will reflecting on the bigger picture turn  your personal journey around?

I invite you to take in deeply the following wisdom which identify  a condition, too often considered completely “normal”, which underpin the cause of so much unnecessary suffering.

In Dadi’s words: “Our ability to cope is hampered by thinking too much about other people…This causes problems in  the mental digestive system.  The best mental ‘antacid’ is in-depth spiritual study…( which leads to healthy introspection).  This, plus a  regular practice of self-awareness, penetrates the mind very deeply, dislodging emotional pain.”

You may be wondering how does one’s consciousness change by focusing on the spiritual aspects of the self instead of being caught up in thinking about others?  To quote Dadi again:

“An enlightened person understands that there is nothing to be gained by thinking about others.”

She suggest that a  better use of one’s time is to concentrate on the Source of Love.  Turning to the Source and to fill the Self with Divine Love is a deep aspect of Raja Yoga meditation.  This form of meditation directs one’s attention inward to the Self in order to connect again and again to the Ocean of Love.

This change of direction in our attention comforts the heart, reduces tension and restores clarity,   I invite you to carve out some time in your day to meditate on the Source of Love, and note what happens.

Dadi also encourages us to send  good wishes and pure feelings to others.  Creating this habit (in ourselves) will alleviate the need to think confused and negative thoughts any further about a person or a situation.   This one change can ultimately resolve the situations we find ourselves in and relieve us from the vicious cycle of negative, unproductive thoughts about “why”, “when”, and “how”.  Whenever you are in internal/external conflict with someone…begin to remind yourself that deep within, they too are a pure soul.

Continually repeat within that: ‘So and So is a pure soul’, each time your mind spirals into negativity about them.  This is guaranteed to resolve the situation which is more than likely a karmic account created in the past by your own actions.

Instead of sending worried, angry, resentful, critical, and /or doubtful thoughts to another, send love and pure wishes.  The truth of this can be felt at the end of the day, as one feels light, free, and peaceful.  To the one who recognizes it, putting this one jewel into practice is like receiving a key to changing the course of your life.  This type of wisdom is life-giving, universal, non-denominational, and very practical.  Best of all, it gets positive results.

 May the truth of this jewel,  allow you to understand the nature of these times and the nature of you, the soul,  in a new way.

More wisdom from the heart of Dadi Janki:   “Right now, what the soul really needs most is power.  Having been through birth after birth, accumulating rubbish along the way, the soul is burdened and depleted and therefore unable to perform to its greatest potential.  When we use our inner resources in the right way, power is gained, enabling us to stay with God and to reach our destination. Wasting the mind on ordinary, mundane, and conditioned thinking is a waste of time and energy.  Souls leave the path; they leave God, because they have wasted their thoughts, words, and breath in this way. Blaming others and complaining are just making excuses.

This is a big mistake which wastes more energy and causes more loss of power. There isn’t time to behave in this way any more.

Understand that we need power and start cultivating it.  As power develops, so will love.” You may be pondering how can I restore the original power of my soul?  Once again, I invite you to turn inward to your existence as a precious, peaceful soul, then turn to the Beloved who knows you fully and sees you in your perfection.

A simple 3 step method for this can be used:

1.  Find a time that works best for you every day.   Start out with a moment or two, and gradually build up to ten to twenty minutes each day, to stop and become still and silent within, connecting with the energy of you, as a peaceful soul.   Many souls find that a clear time of day that supports this inner movement is early in the morning.  Others may choose the beautiful moments created by the setting sun or the winding down time, right before sleep.

Take the thought, “I am a peaceful soul” and hold it, firmly and confidently, in your mind. As you focus on this one thought it will gradually release its essence into your consciousness; you will truly feel the peace that lies within.  Day by day, this thought will bring you into deeper and deeper peace, into the inner ocean of unshakeable peace which exists, intact, within you.

2.  As you hold this thought, wasteful thoughts may try to distract you.  Surrender each thought to the Beloved or the Higher Power.  Give the distracting thoughts and energy no attention, no matter how great the attraction or force with which they throw themselves at you may be.

Release, release, release, all wasteful thoughts, feelings, and opinions.  Surrender, surrender, surrender. Melt into Peace.  Surrender your mind to the Beloved who awaits you with the tenderest of love and peace.

3.  Whenever you feel distracted, return to the empowering thought about your true essence: “I am a peaceful soul. Peace is my true nature.”  As you continue this practice, you will find that when you return to the everyday world, you will be able to carry the awareness of your essence of peace with you.  This awareness will become more stable and unshakeable as you give yourself permission to stop often during the day, if only for a few moments and go within. You will accumulate the power to stop the hectic spinning of the world and return to your true nature.  This is one of the most important powers of the soul, the ability “to stop” in midstream, pack up your thoughts, and come back to peace.

Take this opportunity to fill completely from the Fountain of all Goodness and Virtue, the Fountain of Love and Divine Power.  Visualize yourself being showered upon from this fountain or immersed and floating in the Ocean of Love.

Below are suggested sites to find guided meditations that I’ve found to be personally conducive to opening my awareness to peace and love.

http://www.ariellehecht.com/spiritual nourishment

Anthony Strano’s Link of Life (4 part meditation can be found on YouTube).

Also websites: http://www.meditateinhawaii.com

http://www.awakenedacademy.com

justaminute.org

Here’s a Peaceful Affirmation which you may write out by hand and place in various spots in your home and workplace, to reinforce the remembrance of who you truly are:

I remember to be still and to bask in my inner ocean of silence and peace.

I find a time and place in which I am there for my Self, every day. 

I am true to this commitment to my Self and this practice of peace.

My spiritual energy is being charged and renewed every day

I enjoy these precious moments of time in which I stop and dip into the ocean of peace within.

I find I can go deeper and deeper into  peace each day.

OM SHANTI*  (from Hindi) = “I am a Peaceful Soul”

May you be continually blessed and bless others with your awareness of peace and may your feelings be filled with equal amounts of love and detachment.

                                                    You are a Being of Peace!

                                                           Your Sister in Peace,

                                                                   Shivalaya

One of my favorite pictures of Dadi Janki~a living treasure!  Dadi is one of the first female spiritual leaders.  She is a “Wisdom Keeper” and one of an eminent group of spiritual leaders who advise the UN at world summits and in times of trouble.

Message-de-Dadi-Janki

How Important is Honesty to You?

Who in this wide world is Dadi Janki?  And why should I know about her?

Dadi-Ja

Dadi Janki is a 103 year old phenomenon who has been certified by many scientific tests to have the most stable mind in the world.  OKAY, you may be muttering.  To what does she attribute this wonderful state of being?  Is this just a rare case of genetics, or is this state achievable through practice?

Dadi makes no bones about it; she attributes her stable mind , hence her unshakeability to her lifelong study and practice of Raja Yoga, the yoga of the mind, the union of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul.

Currently, she is the head of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University in Rajasthan, India where Raja Yoga is taught and practiced.  Essentially this practice is shared freely, i.e. without a price tag. This is truly education for the good of humanity and for the well-being of civilization and the very planet, itself.  For as human beings change and elevate, their influence will transform the sorry conditions that presently exist upon our Mother Earth.

Another proponent of Dadi Janki, and there are many, has this to say about her:

“This woman is as deep , wise, and egoless as it gets.  She adheres to no formal religion, dogma, or sect.  What she teaches is a method to open the heart and detach the mind-which to me is what true spirituality is about”.  Ruby Wax

 

Message-de-Dadi-Janki

Last year on my annual journey to the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, I was incredibly blessed to have Dadi sit and hold my hand for nearly thirty minutes.  On the drive up the mountain to Mt. Abu from Amnehabhad, the Indian women, whom I was sharing a taxi with, announced that we were going to stop and visit with Dadi!  Such a surprise; such fortune!!

As we opened the door to Dadi’s little receiving room, it was packed with souls already.  I looked past everyone, my eyes magnetized to Dadi’s eyes.  She felt my immense attraction and immediately beckoned me with a subtle waving of her hand to come sit next to her.

She held my hand as she greeted all the souls who had come to visit her and receive her drishti, her powerful spiritual vision.  This blessing of holding her hand connected me with a rich, profound silence, in a deeper way, than my own 7 years of practice of Raja Yoga Meditation had produced so far.  She connected me with the unlimitedness of Nirvana, (literally, the place of no sound), the Home of all Souls.  Yes, this is the dimension from which we, as souls, have all come to the earth… and it is the place to which we will all return at the end of our journey.  This is the place to which Dadi Janki is immovably connected and which allows her to be in this world in a very present and loving way and yet to be so detached from it.

Dadi, even at her venerable age, is still a dynamic speaker of truth and shares her gifts continually.  Her words are rich and full of experience and knowing.  My favorite books of hers are:Companion of God and Inside Out.  

Dadi speaks in Hindi.  What follows is a sampling of what I have collected from her many rich classes, translated into English.

The Subject is Love and Honesty.

“Love is connected to virtues.  Virtues create love both within the self and within others.

When virtues reduce, the quality of love also reduces.

When all virtues are present, there is complete and pure love.

Out of all the virtues, the main one is honesty.  If we feel someone is not being honest with us, our love breaks. Whether it’s our mother, father, husband, wife, or friend, if we feel that they are being dishonest,  love breaks.

In terms of our relationship with God, if we are honest with God we will draw His love.  If we are not, that love will break.  Even if we have no other virtues than this one of honesty,  we will be able to draw God’s love.

The first kind of honesty is honesty with myself.  If I am honest with myself, there need be no situation in which I am not honest with others.

If someone does not believe me, if someone distrusts my honesty, perhaps it is a sign that I need to become more honest. Instead of blaming them, I should realise this, and look at how to become more honest.

Honesty does not mean simply speaking our mind. Honesty means to be very clear about everything going on inside us.  Where there is honesty, feelings become pure and clean. Honesty is where there are no other thoughts or feelings inside, other than those that the Most High would have. Such clarity is reflected in our words; they will be filled with the power of truth and spoken with ease and without hesitation.

Genuine honesty cultivated within is what will reach out and touch others.

Being easily influenced by people will diminish our ability to remain honest.

Others will not be able to get that feeling of truth from us, and our interactions will not carry a feeling of love.  They will seem superficial.

Although superficial love is better than no love at all-at least it ensures that we don’t become completely dry-it will nonetheless be obvious that it is not the real thing.”~ Dadi Janki~

Such is the importance of honesty!

rose on hand with light

Wishing you the blessings of honesty and love.                                                        Wishing you the willingness to be honest with yourself.

Wishing you the joy of being filled by the Beloved Ocean of Love.                        Wishing you the experience of love in all your relationships.

In Deep Peace and With Love,

Shivalaya